Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
“You have no idea what you’re talking about, Emma.”
She tilted her head and looked at me. Then she asked me a question that I knew if I answered truthfully, it would change everything.
“Did you, at any moment this evening, want to walk away from me? Regret for any second that we slept together, Harrison?”
I drew in a deep breath as I tried to think of the best way to answer.
Her eyes filled with tears before she blinked them back and whispered, “I have my answer.”
“Emma, it’s a bit more complicated than that.”
She gathered everything up and made her way into the bathroom. I quickly got dressed and waited for her. When the bathroom door opened, she rushed out.
“I called an Uber and they’re here, so I need to go.”
Reaching for her, she took a step back. “Like we agreed, this won’t impact the planning for the benefit dinner. From now on we can meet at the library, or the station, if that is better for you.”
“For fuck’s sake, Emma, please wait.”
Without looking back, she turned and walked out of the hotel room. The sound of the door softly clicking shut caused me to jump. It sounded as if a bomb had gone off.
My heart screamed for me to go after her, drag her back to the room and make love to her. I listened to my head that told me to let her go. That sleeping with her had been a mistake. A big one.
But maybe it was my heart that was making an even bigger mistake by watching her walk away.
True to her word, Emma set up the next couple of planning sessions at the library when she had asked when my days off were. We were never alone, though. There was always another person in the room with us. The caterer, the florist, my mother. Not to mention, anytime I called or texted her, if it wasn’t about the dinner, she never had time to talk.
The next few weeks were the same. She avoided all contact with me unless it had to do about the fundraiser. When we met with the florist to go over the table arrangements, her friend Wendy was with us. When we met to approve the final dinner menu, my mother was there.
So, I, of course, got pissed and decided two could play at that game. I had stopped bringing Noel to story hour. Instead, I had arranged for my mother to bring her.
Today I was meeting Emma back at the hotel to make sure everything was set up right. The dinner was tonight, and Emma and my mother wanted to do one more walk-thru. The fact that my mother had quickly become friends with Emma wasn’t helping the situation one bit. Each time she saw her, she brought her up. She asked why I hadn’t had Emma back over for dinner, and why I was avoiding her by having her bring Noel to story hour. I’d given some excuse or another that clearly hadn’t appeased her, but she had let it go.
“It all looks beautiful,” Emma said as she turned in a circle. “Simple, but elegant.”
“Yes, it really does,” the hotel manager said.
“And the band did confirm with you their arrival time and set up?” Emma asked while I stood by in silence.
“They did, indeed. Are you happy with the table arrangements?” the manager asked.
Emma smiled as she looked around once again. Small white birch trees were the centerpiece of each table with large, red and white floral balls hanging down from them. Also hanging from the branches were small votive candles in little clear candleholders. The candles, of course, were LED, but they would add a romantic feel to the entire ball room. Or at least that was what Emma had said when she suggested the decorations for the tables.
“The glassware is beautiful. I love how you added the cranberries and rosemary stems as well. Thank you for setting up an example for us to see,” Emma stated with a wide smile. “The plates are beautiful as well.”
“Thank you, ma’am. I’m glad everything is to your liking.”
Emma turned and faced me and my mother. “Joyce, does everything look okay to you? Harrison, what do you think?”
My mother clapped. “I think this is going to be the best charity dinner I’ve ever attended.”
I laughed. “You helped plan it, Mom.”
“I might have added a suggestion or two, but you and Emma did all the planning.”
The sound of someone calling Emma’s name had us all turning to see Pricilla walking through the Atlantic Ballroom. “Emma, Harrison! This is stunning. You have outdone yourself, and for your first time to boot! I think I should put you in charge of this event each year, Emma.”
Emma smiled. “Thank you, Pricilla, and although I enjoyed it, I think this will be my first and last year. It has taken up too much of my time.”